England bowlers aim to stifle India firepower in T20 semifinal
Sam Curran and Mark Wood, with support from Chris Woakes and Ben Stokes, have carried them through
09 November 2022 - 15:51
byIAN RANSOM
Support our award-winning journalism. The Premium package (digital only) is R30 for the first month and thereafter you pay R129 p/m now ad-free for all subscribers.
Alex Hales of England. Picture: GETTY IMAGES/ALEX DAVIDSON
England’s bowlers have helped cover for their batting teammates’ patchy Twenty20 World Cup and will now face their biggest test against the firepower of India in Thursday’s semifinal.
The challenge may be even greater for Jos Buttler’s team, with express paceman Mark Wood joining No 3 batsman Dawid Malan as an injury doubt for the clash at Adelaide Oval.
Barring a solid win over fellow semifinalists New Zealand, England’s trip to the last four has been a rocky one with a shock loss to Ireland, a washout against Australia and unimpressive wins over Afghanistan and Sri Lanka.
Only opener Alex Hales is ranked in the top 10 of the runs list among players who competed exclusively in the Super 12s.
However, the bowling of Sam Curran and Wood, with support from Chris Woakes and Ben Stokes, has carried England through.
They may have their hands full against India’s heavy hitters though, with a rejuvenated Virat Kohli and the marauding Suryakumar Yadav in ominous form.
The battle at the death is likely to be important, if not decisive, in the teams’ first meeting in the tournament’s knockout rounds given England’s bowlers and India’s batters have been standouts in the final overs.
It will be England’s first match of the tournament at Adelaide Oval but India have already played at the ground, cruising to victory over Bangladesh.
Kohli may be jumping out of his skin to take strike in Adelaide, where he has scored five hundreds and three fifties across 14 innings in all formats.
England have bitter memories from their last World Cup match at the ground, where Bangladesh knocked them out of the 50-overs tournament in 2015.
That proved a turning point, with England reaching the semifinals or better at every World Cup since.
“There’s some moments or memories that will not always be good ones, unfortunately,” Buttler, who played in the 2015 defeat along with several current teammates, said on Wednesday.
“To be now in a semifinal and going into tournaments that we should perform well is a great place to be as a team.”
While England sweat on the fitness of key players, India’s sole selection dilemma is whether to bring back Dinesh Karthik as wicketkeeper or stick with Rishabh Pant as a left-handed batting option to counter England’s spinners.
India failed to reach the knockout rounds in last year’s T20 World Cup in the United Arab Emirates but have cruised into the last four Down Under with only a blip against SA.
“We can take pride in ourselves from where we have come,” said captain Rohit Sharma.
Support our award-winning journalism. The Premium package (digital only) is R30 for the first month and thereafter you pay R129 p/m now ad-free for all subscribers.
England bowlers aim to stifle India firepower in T20 semifinal
Sam Curran and Mark Wood, with support from Chris Woakes and Ben Stokes, have carried them through
England’s bowlers have helped cover for their batting teammates’ patchy Twenty20 World Cup and will now face their biggest test against the firepower of India in Thursday’s semifinal.
The challenge may be even greater for Jos Buttler’s team, with express paceman Mark Wood joining No 3 batsman Dawid Malan as an injury doubt for the clash at Adelaide Oval.
Barring a solid win over fellow semifinalists New Zealand, England’s trip to the last four has been a rocky one with a shock loss to Ireland, a washout against Australia and unimpressive wins over Afghanistan and Sri Lanka.
Only opener Alex Hales is ranked in the top 10 of the runs list among players who competed exclusively in the Super 12s.
However, the bowling of Sam Curran and Wood, with support from Chris Woakes and Ben Stokes, has carried England through.
They may have their hands full against India’s heavy hitters though, with a rejuvenated Virat Kohli and the marauding Suryakumar Yadav in ominous form.
The battle at the death is likely to be important, if not decisive, in the teams’ first meeting in the tournament’s knockout rounds given England’s bowlers and India’s batters have been standouts in the final overs.
It will be England’s first match of the tournament at Adelaide Oval but India have already played at the ground, cruising to victory over Bangladesh.
Kohli may be jumping out of his skin to take strike in Adelaide, where he has scored five hundreds and three fifties across 14 innings in all formats.
England have bitter memories from their last World Cup match at the ground, where Bangladesh knocked them out of the 50-overs tournament in 2015.
That proved a turning point, with England reaching the semifinals or better at every World Cup since.
“There’s some moments or memories that will not always be good ones, unfortunately,” Buttler, who played in the 2015 defeat along with several current teammates, said on Wednesday.
“To be now in a semifinal and going into tournaments that we should perform well is a great place to be as a team.”
While England sweat on the fitness of key players, India’s sole selection dilemma is whether to bring back Dinesh Karthik as wicketkeeper or stick with Rishabh Pant as a left-handed batting option to counter England’s spinners.
India failed to reach the knockout rounds in last year’s T20 World Cup in the United Arab Emirates but have cruised into the last four Down Under with only a blip against SA.
“We can take pride in ourselves from where we have come,” said captain Rohit Sharma.
“One bad game can’t truly define who you are.”
Reuters
Pakistan roll over New Zealand to reach T20 World Cup final
VINCE VAN DER BIJL: Despite the loss, Proteas should be hailed for a hardy performance
Different campaigns lead New Zealand, Pakistan to semifinal clash
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Most Read
Related Articles
NEIL MANTHORP: Proteas hadn’t woken up, so choking was not to blame against ...
Proteas stuck with chokers tag, says Bavuma
Different campaigns lead New Zealand, Pakistan to semifinal clash
Published by Arena Holdings and distributed with the Financial Mail on the last Thursday of every month except December and January.